"From energy access to climate justice and from anti-privatisation to workers’ rights, people across the world are taking back power over the energy sector, kicking-back against the rule of the market and reimagining how energy might be produced, distributed and used. For many movements involved in struggles around energy, the concept of energy democracy is proving increasingly useful as a means of bringing together disparate but clearly linked causes under a shared discourse and, possibly, something of a common agenda.

How are people across the world taking back power over the energy sector, kicking-back against the rule of the market and reimagining how energy might be produced, distributed and used? How can the concept of energy democracy be deployed to demand a socially just energy system, with universal access, fair prices and secure, unionised and well-paid jobs?

Activists, researchers and practitioners gathered to discuss these issues at an international workshop on energy democracy held in Amsterdam in February 2016. The workshop was organised by the Transnational Institute, in partnership with Global Justice Now, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Brussels Office, Platform London, Switched on London, Berlin Energy Roundtable, the Alternative Information and Development Centre, Public Services International, and the Trade Unions for Energy Democracy initiative. One of the outcomes of this workshop was to develop a collective energy democracy website into a virtual resource centre and meeting place for exchanging experiences, debate and strategies."

The Berliner Energietisch, roughly translated as Berlin Energy Roundtable, was founded in 2011 and is an alliance of around 56 local civil society groups. Moreover it is the initiator of an impressive big campaign in which Berlin's citizens were asked to ‘reclaim’ Berlin's power. The Berliner Energietisch is a broad social alliance and a socio-ecological movement of local Berlin initiatives and organizations and many dedicated citizens. The non-party alliance sees itself as an open platform. Currently 56 local civil society groups joined the coalition. These alliance partners range from large organizations to small initiatives from across the social and environmental movements to activist networks. Church groups, welfare and tenant counselling organizations as well as cultural associations could be found in the alliance as well as the usual suspects from the environmental and social association.The overall aim was the establishment of a more ecological, social and democratic energy supply in Germany’s capital. Therefore the Berliner Energietisch draft law was put up to vote in November 2013. 600.000 Berliners voted in favour of the initiatives idea. But it failed due to a Berlin-specific barrier – a 25- per cent quorum. This means that a valid referendum is just achieved when at least 25 per cent of Berlin's electorate say ‘yes’. So although more than 80 per cent voted with ‘yes’ the referendum failed. . In the end only 21.000 votes were missing.Nevertheless the Berliners have set a clear signal towards a public owned energy supply and this could not be neglected, neither by Berlin's federal state government nor by referendum opponents. The Berliner Energietisch is still active and constructively supervises the energy policy of the Berlin federal state government.

Logbook of the campaignIn the following you can see several milestones of the Berliner Energietisch history.

10/2010

The window of opportunity for remunicipalisation opens up, as the concession contracts for the energy and gas supply networks of Berlin will end 2013 and 2014.

Founding of the „Berliner Energietisch“/Energy Round Tabel after a full-day workshop.

10/2011 - 01/2012

After intense discussions during 12 meetings, the panel of the Berlin Round Table on Energy finalized and accepted the draft law for the referendum „New Energy in Berlin-democratic, ecological, social“ on the 18. January 2012.

03/2012

Start of collecting signatures, accompanied by a press conference and campaigning activities.

08/2012

The Senate of Berlin declares the proposal for the “Volksbegehren” of the Berlin Round Table on Energy for accepted without limitation.

12/2012

The plenum of the Berlin Round Table on Energy decides with one voice to start a “Volksbegehren” (2nd level).

02/2013

The collection of signatures in the “Volksbegehren” (2nd level) starts.

06/2013

The time to gather signatures is over! The Round Table hands in 271.494 signatures. 227.748 of them will be accepted as valid.

07/2013

Ignoring intense protests the Senate of Berlin shifts the date of the vote for the referendum (“Volksentscheid”) on the 3rd of November.

10/2013

Only a few days before the referendum the reigning coalition (Social Democrats & Conservatives) decides the formation of a mini-municipal utility. Its design lags behind the conception of the one by the Roundtable. This „parliamentary foul“ (cite Tagesspiegel) is designed as a tactic to steal the Round Table’s thunder.

11/2013

In the referendum 83% of the participants in Berlin vote for the municipal utility and want the nets back into the ownership of the municipality. In all districts of the city there were high numbers of positive votes. Nevertheless the referendum was lost, as the approval quorum of 25% of the voters was missed by an extremely narrow margin.

Seven good Reasons…for a community-owned energy supply

Basic necessities should belong to the publicThe power supply is important to everyone in Berlin. In the hands of large corporations, it is managed to maximize profit rather than to serve the needs of Berlin’s citizens.

100 percent green energyThe days of coal and nuclear power are over! The Berlin municipal power company will rely on decentralized renewable energy plants in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. The goal is to provide you with 100 percent real green power.Profits stay in BerlinThe grid buyback is worth it! Berlin will benefit from a secure source of income over the long term, and the profits will stay in our region, rather than enriching Vattenfall’s corporate headquarters.Democratic control of the energy supply The citizens of Berlin will be able to participate in the shaping of their energy supply. Berlin voters will directly elect some members of the power company’s Board of Directors, and citizen initiatives and other mechanisms will allow Berliners to directly participate in and influence power company policies.

Reducing energy consumption Energy conservation and efficiency can make an important contribution to climate protection. Berlin’s municipal power company will support this goal, which will also lead to lower energy bills.

Transparency instead of secret treatiesThe municipal utility and grid company will operate under clear rules for transparency. Important documents will be published on the Internet, allowing citizens the opportunity to examine company policies. This will help make the pricing of electricity rates clear and understandable.